Juan Picon
It isn’t particularly common for a Biglaw firm to lose a member of its leadership team to a competitor, so when it happens, it’s news. Today it’s been announced that Latham & Watkins has snagged DLA Piper senior partner and global co-chair Juan Picon, along with Spanish corporate head Jose Antonio Sanchez-Dafos and capital markets partner Ignacio Gomez-Sancha.
The soon-to-be-former DLA partners will be joining the Madrid office of Latham, with Picon taking on the role of Madrid managing partner. As reported by Law.com, Latham is excited about the addition:
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Latham managing partner Bill Voge said: “We are delighted to welcome Juan, Ignacio, and Jose to the firm. We have a top-notch team in Spain, and the arrival of this group will be a perfect complement to our existing practice. The team’s market knowledge and industry contacts are second to none. Spain is a key market with exciting opportunities in our global platform.”
The DLA Piper global co-CEO, Simon Levine, offered a gracious statement on Picon’s departure:
We are disappointed that Juan has decided to leave before completing his term as senior partner but we recognise the unique personal circumstances that have led him to make this decision. We wish Juan all the best for the future.
Picon is stepping down immediately from his leadership role at DLA Piper, but hasn’t yet determined when he’ll formally leave the firm. His role as co-chair will be filled on an interim basis by disputes partner Janet Legrand, with an election for his replacement to follow.
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DLA Piper sent an internal email to all employees, available on the next page, to inform them about Picon’s departure. The email focuses on Picon’s personal reasons for leaving and is enthusiastic about the strategic direction of the firm.
Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).